Kansas State University Athletics
Taylor Announced as K-State Pitching Game Coordinator
Jun 29, 2018 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State head baseball coach Pete Hughes announced another addition to his coaching staff, as he hired Cord "Buck" Taylor as pitching game coordinator Friday.
Taylor spent the last 14 seasons as the head coach at Palomar Community College after originally joining the Palomar staff as the pitching and catching coach in 2001. Taylor compiled a 434-181 (.706) record while at the helm of the Comets, sending 21 pitchers into professional baseball, including current and former Major League pitchers Marcus Hatley (St. Louis Cardinals), Tim Hill (Kansas City Royals), James Hoyt (Houston Astros) and Nick Vincent (Seattle Mariners).
"Buck Taylor has been regarded as one of the best coaches in the country for some time now," Hughes said. "He is one of the best baseball minds in our game. Some of the top pitching coaches were former catchers, and he will bring a valuable perspective to our pitching game. He has a track record of developing pitchers and preparing them for the highest levels. He is a dynamic recruiter, great husband and father. He, his wife Natasha, and daughters Finley and Avery will be terrific additions to our great community here in Manhattan."
"My family and I are honored to be new members of the Wildcat family," said Taylor. "I am looking forward to identifying, recruiting and developing the best athletes in the country. I can't wait to get to work with the outstanding staff Coach Hughes has put together."
Palomar became the first Pacific Coast Athletic Conference team in history to land four players on Major League 25-man opening-day rosters in the same season. In addition to pitchers Hill, Hoyt and Vincent, infielder Tyler Saladino began the season with the Chicago White Sox and has since been traded to Milwaukee Brewers.
Taylor was honored as American Baseball Coaches Association/California Community College Athletic Association State Baseball Coach of the Year in 2008 and was named Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Baseball Coach of the Year eight times while he was selected as PCAC Coach of the Year across all men's sports for both the 2008-09 and 2014-15 academic years. He won eight PCAC titles in his 14 seasons as head coach of Palomar.
His 2018 club won the outright conference title and went on to make an appearance in the Southern California Super Regionals. Perfect Game ranked his 2015 squad No. 2 among the nation's community colleges at the end of the regular season and went on to finished with a national ranking of No. 9 following the postseason with a record of 36-8.
Taylor played two years at San Francisco State following junior-college stints at Rancho Santiago College (now Santa Ana Community College) and MiraCosta College. Following his collegiate career, he went on to play and manage professionally in Vienna, Austria, for the Vienna Lions, guiding them to a Vienna Baseball League title in 1996.
Prior to his time at Palomar, Taylor was an assistant coach and later co-head coach at his alma mater San Francisco State from 1995-2000.
Taylor graduated with a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology in 1995 and later earned his Master of Education in physical education and sports administration from Azusa Pacific in 2001. He also served as Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Health and Recreation on Palomar's full-time faculty.
A native of Carlsbad, California, Taylor and his wife, Natasha, have two daughters, Finley and Avery.
THE BUCK TAYLOR FILE
Born: November 4, 1971 in Santa Monica, Calif.
High School: Carlsbad High School, Carlsbad, Calif.
College: San Francisco State, Bachelor of Science, Kinesiology, 1995;
Azusa Pacific University, Master of Education, Physical Education/Sports Administration, 2001
Family: Wife: Natasha; Daughters: Finley, Avery
Playing Career
Rancho Santiago College (now Santa Ana Community College) and MiraCosta College, 1992-93
San Francisco State, 1994-95
Vienna Lions, Austrian Baseball League, 1996
Coaching Career
San Francisco State, Assistant Coach/Co-Head Coach, 1995-2000
Vienna Lions, Austrian Baseball League, 1996
Austrian National Team, Assistant Coach, 1996
Palomar Community College, Pitching/Catching Coach/Associate Head Coach, 2001-05
Palomar Community College, Head Coach, 2006-18
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT BUCK TAYLOR
"Buck taught me a lot about the game of baseball and how to play it the right way. There's one thing that I still use to this day: Buck always preached strike one and stay aggressive, one-pitch outs are a pitcher's best friend. It keeps the pitch count down and helps you stay in the game longer."
- Nick Vincent, Seattle Mariners reliever
Taylor spent the last 14 seasons as the head coach at Palomar Community College after originally joining the Palomar staff as the pitching and catching coach in 2001. Taylor compiled a 434-181 (.706) record while at the helm of the Comets, sending 21 pitchers into professional baseball, including current and former Major League pitchers Marcus Hatley (St. Louis Cardinals), Tim Hill (Kansas City Royals), James Hoyt (Houston Astros) and Nick Vincent (Seattle Mariners).
"Buck Taylor has been regarded as one of the best coaches in the country for some time now," Hughes said. "He is one of the best baseball minds in our game. Some of the top pitching coaches were former catchers, and he will bring a valuable perspective to our pitching game. He has a track record of developing pitchers and preparing them for the highest levels. He is a dynamic recruiter, great husband and father. He, his wife Natasha, and daughters Finley and Avery will be terrific additions to our great community here in Manhattan."
"My family and I are honored to be new members of the Wildcat family," said Taylor. "I am looking forward to identifying, recruiting and developing the best athletes in the country. I can't wait to get to work with the outstanding staff Coach Hughes has put together."
Palomar became the first Pacific Coast Athletic Conference team in history to land four players on Major League 25-man opening-day rosters in the same season. In addition to pitchers Hill, Hoyt and Vincent, infielder Tyler Saladino began the season with the Chicago White Sox and has since been traded to Milwaukee Brewers.
Taylor was honored as American Baseball Coaches Association/California Community College Athletic Association State Baseball Coach of the Year in 2008 and was named Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Baseball Coach of the Year eight times while he was selected as PCAC Coach of the Year across all men's sports for both the 2008-09 and 2014-15 academic years. He won eight PCAC titles in his 14 seasons as head coach of Palomar.
His 2018 club won the outright conference title and went on to make an appearance in the Southern California Super Regionals. Perfect Game ranked his 2015 squad No. 2 among the nation's community colleges at the end of the regular season and went on to finished with a national ranking of No. 9 following the postseason with a record of 36-8.
Taylor played two years at San Francisco State following junior-college stints at Rancho Santiago College (now Santa Ana Community College) and MiraCosta College. Following his collegiate career, he went on to play and manage professionally in Vienna, Austria, for the Vienna Lions, guiding them to a Vienna Baseball League title in 1996.
Prior to his time at Palomar, Taylor was an assistant coach and later co-head coach at his alma mater San Francisco State from 1995-2000.
Taylor graduated with a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology in 1995 and later earned his Master of Education in physical education and sports administration from Azusa Pacific in 2001. He also served as Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Health and Recreation on Palomar's full-time faculty.
A native of Carlsbad, California, Taylor and his wife, Natasha, have two daughters, Finley and Avery.
THE BUCK TAYLOR FILE
Born: November 4, 1971 in Santa Monica, Calif.
High School: Carlsbad High School, Carlsbad, Calif.
College: San Francisco State, Bachelor of Science, Kinesiology, 1995;
Azusa Pacific University, Master of Education, Physical Education/Sports Administration, 2001
Family: Wife: Natasha; Daughters: Finley, Avery
Playing Career
Rancho Santiago College (now Santa Ana Community College) and MiraCosta College, 1992-93
San Francisco State, 1994-95
Vienna Lions, Austrian Baseball League, 1996
Coaching Career
San Francisco State, Assistant Coach/Co-Head Coach, 1995-2000
Vienna Lions, Austrian Baseball League, 1996
Austrian National Team, Assistant Coach, 1996
Palomar Community College, Pitching/Catching Coach/Associate Head Coach, 2001-05
Palomar Community College, Head Coach, 2006-18
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT BUCK TAYLOR
"Buck taught me a lot about the game of baseball and how to play it the right way. There's one thing that I still use to this day: Buck always preached strike one and stay aggressive, one-pitch outs are a pitcher's best friend. It keeps the pitch count down and helps you stay in the game longer."
- Nick Vincent, Seattle Mariners reliever
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